Burnett 'back on track'

North Shore swimmer Shaun Burnett is looking ahead with confidence after bagging his two fastest times in more than two years on day three of the World University Games in Korea.

The 24 year old clocked 1:58.83 in the semifinal of the 200m butterfly to be 13^th fastest, missing out on a place in the final.

However two personal best efforts after two years of toil has enthused the Massey University student that his swimming life is on the turn.

“I’ve not done this time for the last two and a half years so I felt I was back on track,” Burnett said.

“It makes all the hard work worthwhile and I was happy with things. It is good to look forward now to the Olympic Games trials next year and what I need to work on.”

Burnett said he had spent some time in Australia working on his technique and while the evening semifinal was a touch slower than his morning effort in the heats, it has been encouraging.

“This morning I stuck to my race strategy and it all came together. Tonight was 0.3 slower. I tried to go out quicker but my third 50 was slower so I may have paid for the faster early pace.”

Burnett, who has the 100m butterfly and medley relay to come in the competition, is enjoying the challenges in Gwanju.

“The competition is tough and good. I was expecting it to be tough and I am glad it is because that’s what you want when you race the world.”

Earlier US-based Caroline Baddock narrowly missed out on a spot in the final after finishing 10^th fastest in the semifinals of the 100m backstroke.

Baddock, who is on scholarship at Auburn University in Alabama, swum 1:02.01, slightly faster than her morning heat, to be pipped out of a place in the final by 0.3s.

She was last at the 50m turn and while she stormed home, it proved too much to make up.

The New Zealand team is in plenty of action on day four of the competition with Georgia Marris and Monique King in heats of the 400m freestyle; Natasha Lloyd in the 200m breaststroke; Sam Perry and Daniel Hunter in heats of the 100m freestyle; Samantha Lee and Helena Gasson in the 100m butterfly with Marris, Kate Godfrey, Laura Quilter and Lee in the heats of the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay.

CAPTION: Shaun Burnett in action. (BW Media)